Arguably no genre of book keeps us as engrossed as a good thriller. Delivering twists, turns, suspense and atmosphere, thrillers give authors the opportunity to let their creative juices flow and strap readers in for a real rollercoaster ride full of twists and turns. From murder mysteries to suspenseful true crime manhunts, the year has delivered some absolute gems; check out What We Reading as we go through the best psychological thriller books from 2022.
Road of Bones – Christopher Golden
The Kolyma Highway is an infamous 1,200-mile stretch of road located in the heart of Siberia. Built under Joseph Stalin, the highway housed over eighty different Gulags, prison camps that saw the deaths of thousands of individuals who would end up being buried right there under the snow.
It is this dark chapter in Russian history that Christopher Golden explores in his psychological thriller novel Road of Bones. The book follows a film crew following the highway in the hopes of bagging a great documentary detailing its sordid past. What follows, however, is a chilling tale of the group encountering strange individuals, deserted villages and a sinister Shaman lurking in the forests around them.
Secluded Cabin Sleeps Six – Lisa Unger
Lisa Unger is a New York Times and internationally bestselling author, known as a master of suspense with her impressive collection of psychologically thrilling books.
Her 2022 novel Secluded Cabin Sleeps Six, three couples rent out a luxury cabin for a weekend retreat in Georgia. However, in the shadow of a huge incoming storm, hidden secrets and motivations come to light culminating in this becoming a holiday to absolutely die for.
Our Crooked Hearts – Melissa Albert
Seventeen-year-old Ivy is driving home from a party on a tree-lined road when she nearly runs over a nude woman walking in the road. This encounter kickstarts a series of strange occurrences that follow Ivy wherever she goes.
A deliciously dark tale of mystery and witchcraft, Our Crooked Hearts is one of indie author Melissa Albert’s finest works. Perfect for a spooky season read, there’s suspense and secrets lurking behind every chapter here…
The Other Guest – Helen Cooper
When it comes to the interconnected and convoluted plotlines 2022 has thrown up, few can come close to claiming they match Helen Cooper’s The Other Guest.
This mystery-thriller novel features two women being drawn into a series of twists and turns as they attempt to unravel the truth surrounding a death at a luxurious Italian resort. The two protagonists might appear to have very little connecting them however, through a series of cleverly revealed bits of family-centred drama, this patient novel really begins to hit its stride.
Daisy Darker – Alice Feeney
Another New York Times bestselling author, Alice Feeney is widely known for her time as a BBC presenter and a maestro when it comes to the tales of mystery and suspense.
Daisy Darker is her latest thriller, following the tale of a family that assemble on a remote island to stay in their Nan’s old gothic house. Stranded from the mainland for eight hours, the retreat takes a sinister turn when Nana is found dead in the house at the stroke of midnight. With another body turning up on the tide, the family is forced into a terrifying series of twists and turns where their darkest secrets are brought to the fore.
All Good People Here – Ashley Flowers
Produced by Ashley Flowers, host of the true-crime podcast Crime Junkie, All Good People Here marks their hotly-anticipated literary debut.
The story follows Margot, an ambitious journalist who returns to her quaint hometown to help care for her uncle. When she was a child, her neighbour had been murdered in the town, and the disappearance of another young girl following her return is enough to prompt Margot into a dangerous mission to discover the truth about her hometown.
The Butcher And The Wren – Alaina Urquhart
Another entry from a host of a fabulous true crime podcast, The Butcher And The Wren is the debut thriller novel written by Morbid host Alaina Urquhart.
One of the best examples of a classic cat-and-mouse set-up, this psychological thriller follows forensic pathologist Dr. Wren Muller on his hunt to capture the prolific serial killer known as The Butcher. Delivered with a level of insight and detail ripped straight out of a real-life morgue, Urquhart’s novel is delivered from the perspective of both profiler and criminal, making for one of the most gripping reads of 2022.
Breathless – Amy McCulloch
Journalist Cecily Wong has found herself giving up everything in her life for a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to interview renowned mountaineer Charles McVeigh atop the Manaslu, the eighth-highest peak in the world. But, when a member of her climbing party dies, she soon finds herself in a desperate battle for survival.
With threats coming from all angles, Amy McCulloch’s Breathless is a desperate and frantic thriller that is sure to give any reader a feeling of vertigo.
Check Out Our Breathless Book Review
The School For Good Mothers – Jessamine Chan
Jessamine Chan blurs the lines between dystopian and psychological thriller in her explosive debut book, The School for Good Mothers.
Frida Liu is struggling. She is unable to convince her husband to leave his younger, fitter mistress, and doesn’t have a career worthy of the sacrifices her immigrant parents raised her for. Only through her daughter, the angelic Harriet, does it feel like her life has any meaning. Until one terrible day. With one mistake, the Government enrols Frida into a Big Brother-like programme designed to test the fitness of a parent and measure a mother’s devotion. A stunning exploration of a mother’s love for her children as well as a striking commentary on the way in which violence is thrust upon women by the state and each other, Chan’s novel is an absolute page-turner.
Hokuloa Road – Elizabeth Hand
Shirley Jackson Award-winner Elizabeth Hand produces a stunning atmospheric read in her 2022 thriller, Hokuloa Road. In it, readers follow Grady Kendall, a man who applies for a job as a live-in caretaker for a luxury remote mansion in Kolihiʻi, Hawaii. Settling into his lonely routine, Grady soon discovers that Kolihiʻi is a place where people go missing.
When a young woman called Jessie disappears, he desperately attempts to unearth what has become of all those on Hokuloa Road’s missing person posters.
Things We Do In The Dark – Jennifer Hillier
Nominated for Best Mystery & Thriller in the 2022 Goodreads Awards, Jennifer Hillier’s chilling psychological story Things We Do in the Dark follows Paris Peralta. When police arrest Paris in her own bathroom, she knows the bloodied knife in her hand and dead celebrity husband behind her will be enough for a murder charge. However, her biggest fear is the media frenzy her crime is going to raise.
Twenty-five years earlier, Ruby Reyes, known as the Ice Queen, was convicted of a similar crime. When she is abruptly released from prison, she threatens to expose all of Paris’ secrets from the past. Knowing that two murder charges are worse than one, Paris has to confront the ghosts of her sordid past in order to escape once and for all.
The Paris Apartment – Lucy Foley
Author of The Hunting Party and The Guest List, Lucy Foley is fast becoming one of the contemporary greats of the thriller section.
The Paris Apartment is her latest work and is set in an old and stately building in France’s capital. The story follows Jess, a woman who has travelled to the city to stay with her brother, Ben. However, when Ben fails to answer his texts or turn up at all, it becomes clear that all his neighbours in his apartment block hold secrets that they are in no hurry to share.
Check Out Our The Paris Apartment Book Review
Part-time reader, part-time rambler, and full-time Horror enthusiast, James has been writing for What We Reading since 2022. His earliest reading memories involved Historical Fiction, Fantasy and Horror tales, which he has continued to take with him to this day. James’ favourite books include The Last (Hanna Jameson), The Troop (Nick Cutter) and Chasing The Boogeyman (Richard Chizmar).
